Shloka 10

Adhyaya 59 — Markandeya and Vishnu

Sanskrit

तितिक्षादिभिरष्टाभैः प्रकृत्या ते गुणैर्युताः ।

तत्राप्यश्वशिरा देवश्चतुर्बाहुर्जनार्दनः ॥

Transliteration

titikṣādibhir aṣṭābhaiḥ prakṛtyā te guṇair yutāḥ / tatrāpy aśvaśirā devaś caturbāhur janārdanaḥ

Translation

Von Natur aus sind sie mit acht Eigenschaften begabt, beginnend mit Duldsamkeit. Und auch dort (in jener Gegend) ist der Gott Aśvaśiras—Janārdana mit vier Armen.

Word by Word

• तितिक्षादिभिः: by forbearance and the like
• तितिक्षादिभिः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तितिक्षा + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental); बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (तितिक्षा-आदि = ‘forbearance etc.’)

• अष्टाभिः: by eight
• अष्टाभिः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental); बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण (गुणैः)

• प्रकृत्या: by nature
• प्रकृत्या: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental); एकवचन

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• गुणैः: with qualities
• गुणैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental); बहुवचन

• युताः: endowed; joined
• युताः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु) → युत (कृदन्त/क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; विशेषण (ते)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• अपि: also; even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• अश्वशिराः: the horse-headed one
• अश्वशिराः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व + शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; समासः—बहुव्रीहि (अश्वस्य शिरः यस्य सः = ‘one whose head is a horse’)

• देवः: the god
• देवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• चतुर्बाहुः: the four-armed one
• चतुर्बाहुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् + बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; समासः—बहुव्रीहि (चत्वारः बाहवः यस्य सः = ‘four-armed’)

• जनार्दनः: Janārdana (Viṣṇu)
• जनार्दनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; विशेषनाम

Speakers

• Narrator to interlocutor

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "adbhuta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Primary Deities

• Viṣṇu (Janārdana) as Aśvaśiras

Key Themes

• Cosmology
• Dharma (virtues)
• Vaishnava theophany

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Virtue is presented as innate to the inhabitants of an auspicious realm, and divine presence (Janārdana) anchors that moral ecology—suggesting dharma is sustained by both disposition and devotion.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This is part of cosmographical description (world-order) with a theistic note; it supports the Purāṇa’s broader 'Sarga/Pratisarga' worldview rather than dynastic history.

What is the esoteric significance?

Aśvaśiras (horse-headed) evokes swift, prāṇic power and Vedic resonance (horse symbolism). The four arms indicate omnipotent governance of the four directions/quarters and the preservation function of Viṣṇu.